Raja Ampat is the Best Snorkeling Destination

Tropical Fish in RajaAmpat

Raja Ampat is one of the best destinations in the world for marine tourism. It has got the highest number of fish species and very beautiful scenery.  As a tourist guide, I organize snorkeling tours for domestic and international visitors who want to see the beautiful underwater world of the islands. The duration of the tours is usually 5 to 7 days covering big and small islands in western region of Waigeo, Kabui bay, Pianemo, Wayag, Arborek, Mansuar and Kri. The tour can also be customized to a separate destination such as East Waigeo. There, visitors can enjoy adventure swimming, snorkeling and wildlife watching tour in some uninhabited islands and Waigeo's rainforest.
Coral reef in this regency is the natural habitat of a lot of marine creatures such as butterfly fish, moorish idol, grouper, clownfish, boxfish, damselfish, batfish, trevally, striped surgeonfish, and convict surgeonfish, lionfish. There are also sea turtle, sea star, sea cucumber.
Snorkeling Gear

Snorkeling and Freediving

Visitors need to bring mask, snorkel and fins if they want to take snorkeling tours in Raja Ampat. An underwater camera is also needed for taking pictures of marine life and landscape of the archipelago. I personally use Brica Bpro5 alpha edition. It is an action camera that is suitable for those who like adventure both at sea, over coral reef and on land. However, its quality is not as good as other underwater cameras such as Nikon Coolpix W300.

Jungle Tour
In addition to snorkeling and island hopping tour, I always combine the tour in Raja Ampat with hiking and bird/ wildlife watching tour in the forest of Sorong regency or Waigeo island. For Waigeo, the main targets of watching are Red Bird of Paradise, Hooded Butcherbird, and Eclectus Parrot. For Sorong ridge forest, the birds that visitors can watch include Rainbow Bee-eater, Oriental Dollarbird, Yellow-faced Myna and a lot of other birds. I highly recommend that visitors bring their binoculars.
Where is Raja Ampat
It is a group of islands that is located in the west of New Guinea. The capital of the regency is Waisai.  It has been a favorite tourist destination for snorkeling, freediving, and birding.
How to get there?
There are international flights that can bring you to Jakarta city or Denpasar city of Indonesia. Domestic flights to Sorong city are served by such airlines as Garuda, Sriwijaya Air, Nam Air, and Batik Air.

Interested?
If you are interested in taking a snorkeling and adventure tour in Raja Ampat, and want me as your private guide, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp: +6281332245180.
Also read:
Raja Ampat Snorkeling

Snorkeling Site in North Coast of Manokwari

Charles Roring was Snorkeling in Manokwari

I went snorkeling to the north coast of Manokwari this afternoon. I went there with a friend of mine to see the coral reef at the beach that faces the Pacific Ocean. I takes approximately 30 minutes ride to the beach and around 15 minutes swim to the coral reef area. It was my first experience to swim in the water. The floor of the sea from the beach to the reef was quite flat.
However, the coral reef was located unusually far from the land. Tourists who want to enjoy snorkeling need extra energy and courage for swimming to the site.
I brought me an action camera Brica Pro5 alpha edition that could take underwater photographs of fish and reef. It was a nice experience because I could see the marine environment in an open sea.

Coral Reef in North Coast of Manokwari

The visibility was not so good because of the waves. From several dives that I did to depths of 1.5 to 2.5 meters, I could tell that the coral reef was quite healthy. There were more fish in the sea grass area at depths of 1.5 to 2 meters during low tide. Seagrass was a safe home for various species of fish. Big predators will not try to chase small fish. They could easily escape through the grass.
I plan to do another exploratory snorkeling trip to this beach to find other coral reef sites that are more suitable for snorkelers.
As a matter of fact, Manokwari has got a number of beaches and coral reef areas that are good for snorkeling and freediving.
If you are interested in visiting Manokwari to enjoy snorkeling, and want me to be your guide, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.
Please, read:
Snorkeling tour in East Raja Ampat
Snorkeling tour in Raja Ampat islands

Preparation before Snorkeling

Mask, snorkel and underwater camera

Snorkeling is a very good recreational sport. However, it can be dangerous if the person who wants to enjoy it does not have enough experience or does not make adequate preparations. A snorkeling trip that is well prepared will guarantee maximum safety for tourists who take the tour.
Local guide and marine tour operator who organise the marine tour have to make sure that the gears required for the trip are all in good working order. For instance, the valve in the snorkel will let the air to flow but blocks the water from entering the mouthpiece.  The silicone skirt of the mask is still elastic to ensure that it will function properly as a watertight seal while somebody wears the mask in the water. The lens of the mask has to be made of shock resistant glass. Plastic lenses have to be avoided.

Coral reef life in the waters of Manokwari

Beginning snorkelers have to wear lifejacket if they want to swim in drop off area. The jacket will give them positive buoyancy. When water enters the snorkel or mask, inexperienced snorkelers will get panicked and usually swim to shallow area. They may stand on the coral once they reach the shallow ground and prevent them from standing on the coral. Experienced snorkelers and freedivers do not want to wear them because they will limit their freedom of movement in the water. Lifejacket can be stored in the boat and can be thrown to the snorkeler in emergency situation.

Coral reef in Manokwari waters

Emergency kit is a must. It contains water, food (usually biscuit), first aid kit, tissues, flash light, matches. Every snorkeling guide or boat driver needs to bring it particularly when conducting tour to remote island.
Boat driver has to check the engine and hull of the boat to ensure maximum safety when they run to remote islands. Fuel is more than enough for the trip. Boat owner must not smoke cigarettes when he sits near the gas tank manually driving the boat. To minimize accidents at the beach or at sea, all tour operators, guides and tourists must follow safety regulations and do better preparatory works before every trip.
Marine tourism are very popular in countries that have got coral reef such as Florida Keys in the US, the Carribean islands, Egypt, Malaysia, Thailand, Okinawa of Japan, Guam, Indonesia, the Philipines, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and a lot of small countries in the Pacific. These countries generate billions of us dollars of income that are very important to provide jobs and support the economy of the respective countries.  A snorkeling tour that is successful will increase trust and satisfaction among customers. It will also ensure sustainable operation of marine tour business in the long run.
Please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com if you want to enjoy snorkeling in Manokwari. written by Charles Roring
Please read:
Snorkeling in Manokwari
Snorkeling tour in Manokwari

How to take pictures while snorkeling or freediving

Underwater Picture of Coral Reef in Raja Ampat

Coral reef is a fascinating environment. It is the place where people can see various species of fish and colorful corals. There are blue sea star, black urchin and green sea grass. There are also yellow colored sweetlips, red and white clown fish. Everyone who enjoys snorkeling will definitely want to take pictures of the wonderful marine environment that they see underwater. Underwater photography is now growing very fast with the introduction of a lot of photographic devices that have got better technology and more affordable prices.
I personally have taken a lot of pictures of fish and coral reef. I use several types of cameras such as the ordinary Sony Cybershot pocket camera that I put inside Dicapac waterproof case, Canon G1X, Nikon AW120 and the latest one - the Brica B-Pro5 Alpha Plus.  The camera that I like the most was the Nikon Coolpix AW120. Unfortunately the camera has broken. Now I use the action camera - the Brica B-Pro5 Alpha Plus.

Underwater Picture

When taking pictures of fish or coral reef, the position of the snorkelers is mostly on the surface of the water. The result does not look well because of the lack of the blue water background. Snorkelers or freedivers need to descend to lower position or to an eye level with the fish or the coral reef that they want to take pictures of.
In addition to the eye level position, underwater photographers need to make sure that they are in stable position. This is often difficult because of current or waves. I often release some oxygen from my lung to enable me to go deeper. I also hold a big rock while shooting the fish. In deeper water, the use of flash will increase the quality of photographs.
Sometimes for the purpose of ecotourism promotion, resort owners want to get pictures that combine underwater view of the coral reef and the beach view of the dive resorts. A fisheye dome port will be needed. Using that device, photographers can capture images of both above and below the water environment. Written by Charles Roring
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Why I like swimming, snorkeling and freediving

Coral Reef Environment in Manokwari

I was born and grew up in Manokwari. It was a small coastal town in West Papua. When I was a kid, there were no theme parks or malls. After school, children played at football field, school yard and sometimes at the beach. Swimming was a fun and very interesting activity. I started to give special interest in coral reef since I was in elementary school.
My understanding about coral reef was getting better after reading books that were related to marine environment. Running snorkeling tours for tourists is a job that I really enjoy. In addition, I can help local people generate alternative income from their natural resources sustainably. When villagers get income from nature tourism, they will protect their marine environment.

Anemone Fish in the Waters of Tambrauw regency

Places that have got coral reef include Numfor island, Raja Ampat, Tambrauw regency and Dore bay of Manokwari. These places are located within the coral triangle region.
To take snorkeling and freediving tours, visitors need to bring snorkeling device such as mask, snorkel and fins. They also need underwater camera to take pictures of tropical fish and other marine creatures that live in the coral reef.
Coral reef is a fragile environment. For beginning snorkelers, they need to wear lifejacket or snorkeling jacket so that they can maintain positive buoyancy on the surface of the water. If they feel tired and want to stand in the water, they could find flat bottom that only consists of sand. Wearing a lifejacket is very important to prevent a snorkeler from stepping on coral reef.  Experienced snorkelers and freedivers prefer drop off enjoy freedom of swimming in deeper water. Big fish such as giant trevally, grouper, parrotfish, black tipped shark, barracuda can easily be found drop off area. Sometimes turtles can be seen in the coral reef. There are several species of them such as hawksbill, olive ridley, green and leatherback.
Coral reef thrive well in healthy marine environment. Plastic and harmful liquids must not pollute it. Sea cucumbers that live at the sea floor have to be protected too. They are the ones that filter sea water.
Coral reef can give significant economical contribution to local community if they are able to preserve it. written by Charles Roring
Also read: 7 Snorkeling Spots in Raja Ampat

Cameras for Adventure Travelers

My cameras for traveling

When I guide tourists on adventure trips in West Papua, I always bring at least one camera. The type of the photographic device that I choose depends on the destination that I plan to go to. For instance, if I want to guide birding visitors in Klabolo forest, I will bring my Fujifilm Finepix HS 50 EXR. I will use it to take pictures of birds of paradise and other tropical birds in the forest. I am very satisfied with this camera. It was small enough to carry but it has got super zoom lens that is equivalent to 1,000 mm lens that is usually used in D-SLR cameras. In the past I used Nikon P500 and Nikon P600. The quality of pictures that Fujifilm HS50EXR creates is better than them. Unfortunately, Fujifilm does not manufacture that camera anymore.

Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor)

If I plan to go to the beach for snorkeling over coral reef in Raja Ampat, Tambrauw regency or Manokwari, I will bring my action camera Brica B-Pro5 Alpha Edition. In the past I brought Nikon Coolpix AW 120. Now the camera has broken. I used to take pictures of coral reef using ordinary Sony cybershot pocket camera that I put inside a dicapac waterproof case. I have just replaced them with the B-Pro5.

Manokwari underwater

As a matter of fact, the pictures that Nikon produces are much better than the Brica B-Pro5. However, the action camera is equipped with a waterproof housing that makes B-Pro5 more resistant to water pressure. In the long run, I will use the action camera more frequently until I can save enough money to buy a better camera that performs well underwater.
The pictures that I make during my adventure trips in the forest and at sea are important materials for my writing works. I always write trip reports or posts in my blogs and website. I add pictures in the articles to make them look more attractive to readers.
If you are interested in taking a snorkeling trip or birding tour in West Papua with me and want me as your guide, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or whatsapp: +6281332245180.

Also read:
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Underwater Photographs of Coral Reef in Mansinam

Threats to Coral Reef in Manokwari waters

Manokwari city

As a tourist guide, I often organize snorkeling tours to coral reef areas around Manolwari city. I have run marine tours since 2010. So, I could see how the marine environments declines as the city is growing rapidly.
When the small town Manokwari was chosen by central government to become the capital of the newly formed Papua Barat Province, its population is growing rapidly. Government and businesses started to build office buildings and shops in every part of the town. As the result of the rapid growth of population and development, Manokwari city produces more trash and liquids that are harmful to the environment.

Coral Reef in Manokwari regency

From my personal observation, coral reef areas in the bay of Manokwari have declined to a worrying level. A lot of trash such as plastic bags, baby diaper,  empty bottles of mineral water and cooking oil, as well as cans of softdrinks cover the coral reef areas in Lemon, Mansinam, Pasir Putih as well as Raimuti.
Coral reefs outside the bay of Manokwari also face similar threat. The trash follows the sea current and then land on the remote beaches of the regency.
This phenomenon has to be stopped. City dwellers in Manokwari as well as other areas around the world have to stop using plastics. Regular beach clean up has to be carried out too. With more trashes are added to the streets and drainage channels and with the lack of trash management system in the city, I am afraid that we will lose our coral reef in the near future. written by Charles Roring
Also read:
Coral reef preservation in Dore bay
Snorkeling in the coral reef off the shore of Arfak mountains

Clown Fish in Manokwari Waters

Clownfish and anemone in Manokwari waters

I went snorkeling and freediving to the coral reef area of Manokwari two days ago. It was located in the northeast coast of the regency. The length of the beach was approximately 100 meters with sharp coral covers most of its shallow waters. There was a narrow but very good access for swimmers and snorkelers to enter deeper water of the beach. The marine life at the drop off area of the coral reef was quite good.
I brought my Brica B-Pro5 Alpha Edition that I had just bought from Lazada. I attached it on the tip of a selfie stick and carried it with me as I walked into the water. Actually, the water was not so clear when I began swimming. The visibility was only around 5 meters. So, I swam further away from the beach following the drop off contour of the reef. There were some separate coral reefs located in deeper water. So, I decided to cross to them. As I reached these reefs, their tops were not really deep, only between 1 to 3 meters below the surface of the water. I turned on my action camera and started to make pictures.

White Sandy beach near Manokwari city

I decended to the bottom of the sea several times to depths of around 5 to 7 meters to find good spots where fish gather. I found a spot where there were clown fish and other reef fish. Because of the current, I had to go up to the surface to take another deep breath before going down again to take some pictures and videos.
This clownfish and anemone colony was quite far from the beach. That's why it was free from any disturbances caused by human activities.
As a tourist guide, I have organized several snorkeling tours to the beach for visitors who want to see the marine life of Manokwari. Fish such as striped surgeonfish, convict surgeonfish, damselfish and moorish idol could be seen in these waters.
If you plan to visit Manokwari and need me as your snorkeling guide, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.
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Raja Ampat Adventure Snorkeling and Birding Tours

Fish Lagoon in Raja Ampat

This is the picture of Fish Lagoon in Raja Ampat. The scenery is very beautiful. It is located in the eastern region of Waigeo island and has become my preferred destination for snorkeling and rainforest birding tours.
There are sites where tourists can swim and see coral reef and a lot of tropical fish that thrive at depths between 1 to 10 meters.
Very few tourists have visited this region because it is located in remote region. I have organized several marine tours to this place for tourists who want to see Red Bird of Paradise, Colorful Orchid flowers in the forest as well as clownfish and butterfly fish in Raja Ampat waters.
The usual duration for marine and jungle tour to Fish Lagoon and its surrounding areas is between 4 to 6 days or even more.
I highly recommend that visitors bring their own snorkeling device, at least an underwater action camera and binoculars if they want to take adventure tour to this site.
For birding vacation in Raja Ampat, I suggest that visitors buy field guide book: Birds of New Guinea written by Thane K. Pratt and Bruce Beehler. This book will greatly enhance the identification of birds in Raja Ampat and other parts of West Papua.
Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Alternative to Raja Ampat Snorkeling Tour

Tambrauw beach

Most tourists like to visit Raja Ampat for snorkeling and island hopping tour. But there are also other alternative destinations in West Papua for visitors who like marine tourism. One of them is Tambrauw regency. It is located in the northern coast of Vogelkop region between Manokwari and Sorong.
Local government of Tambrauw regency has declared their territory as conservation area. Therefore, we need to support their policy through eco-tourism.
There are several coral reef areas in Tambrauw which visitors could visit to enjoy swimming, snorkeling and freediving. The marine tour in Tambrauw can be combined with hiking and birding tours in the forest for visitors to watch birds of paradise and other tropical birds.
Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180.

Snorkeling Site in Mansinam Island

Mansinam Island

This is the photograph of a white sandy beach located in the south of Mansinam island. It is very popular among city dwellers of Manokwari especially on Sundays and other holidays. They go there to enjoy swimming and snorkeling. Because the beach is sometimes overly crowded by local beach goers, foreign tourists avoid visiting the beach. Actually, there are other beaches in Manokwari which tourists can choose to enjoy swimming, snorkeling and freediving. As a tourist guide, I often organize snorkeling trips to such places.
After visiting Mansinam island in Manokwari, visitors can continue their trip to Raja Ampat to enjoy snorkeling over pristine coral reef or do hiking in the forest to watch such birds as Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Red Bird of Paradise, Beach Kingfisher and a lot of other birds that are endemic to Waigeo island. As a tourist guide, I have organized tours to Raja Ampat to visit forest and uninhabited islands of the regency. Don't forget to bring snorkeling masks, fins, and underwater camera.
Please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to +6281332245180 if you want me (Charles Roring) to organize your snorkeling, hiking and bird/ wildlife watching tour in Manokwari or other parts of West Papua.
Related Posts:
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Travelling with Passenger Ships

Ave Maria Passenger Boat

Ships have been the most efficient means of travel or transportation in the world for thousands of years. After the "New World" had been found, people travelling from Europe to this New Continent with ships. Millions of people had crossed the Atlantic Ocean from and to "the New World" before the invention of airplane. And it took another twenty to fifty years before a large plane could carry some fifty to one hundred people on board crossing the Atlantic. Now people prefer to travel across the Atlantic or around the world by airplanes. For one reason, an airplane is faster than a ship.

Just because an airplane is faster than a ship, it does not mean that people have stopped travelling by ships. Until now, ships are still used as a means of transportation for goods and people. Many people like to travel by ships because they provide various activities and facilities. Inside a modern ferry, passengers can swim, watch movies, read in libraries, enjoy sunbathing and even surf on the internet. The atmosphere of relaxation is one of the reasons why passenger ships cannot completely be replaced by airplanes. Tourists in the Carribean who travel from one island to another with cruise ships have given significant economic contribution to these island countries.

KM Sinabung - a passenger ship that is owned by PELNI

The application of new propulsion systems has brought new types of ships that travel faster than their predecessors. Hydrofoil; catamaran; trimaran; and SWATH (Small Water-plane Area Twin Hull) move faster than conventional displacement ships. Although most ships are still propelled by marine screw propeller, new approach to hull designs and propulsion machinery have caused these new ship types to become the most preferable choice of short distance transportation means that connect coastal towns and cities.

In addition, the introduction of low speed diesel engine and highly skew propeller, together with the SWATH, hydrofoil and catamaran, has made travelling with ships becomes more comfortable due to low noise level and low vibration.
Cruise ships that travel around the world can stop by at remote islands and lower their boats to enable their passengers visit them. This is something that a large airplane cannot do if the island does not have airport. With around 95 percent of goods and people are still transported by ships, these marine vehicles will still play very important roles in shaping and changing human civilization for now and forever. by Charles Roring in Manokwari of West Papua. 

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Birding Excursion in Sorong Ridge Forest

Australian lady birding in rainforest of Sorong regency

I had another birding excursion with two Australian visitors in Sorong Ridge Forest a few days ago. They contacted me when they were still in Saporkren of Raja Ampat. I answered their emails and agreed with them on one day tour to Ridge Forest of Sorong city to find such birds as Oriental Dollarbird, Rainbow Bee-eater, Orange-bellied Fruit Dove, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Blyth's Hornbill, Black Sunbird, Olive Crowned Sunbird (also called Yellow-bellied Sunbird), Double-eyed Fig Parrot, Singing Starling, Eclectus Parrot.
To enhance the birding experience of the tour participants, I brought a Kinglux 20-60×60 spotting scope and a field guide book: Birds of New Guinea written by Thane K. Pratt and Bruce Beehler. As we walked deeper into the forest, we saw more birds including Yellow-faced Myna, Brahminy Kite, and Black-browed Triller.

Oriental Dollarbird (Birding in Ridge Forest of Sorong city)

In the middle of the day, we reached a river located below ridge of the forest. We stopped there for a while to have hot tea and coffee. I and my friend made a fire to boil water in a cattle that he brought from his house. While we were drinking tea, rain started to fall. Fortunately it did not last long and we were able to walk back again to the main road. We still did some birding along the trails and saw Grey-headed Goshawk, and a couple of Fairy Lorikeet (Charmosyna pulchella). I used my Visionking 10×42 binocular to find the birds whereas the Australian lady used her Pentax one.
We also saw an Eupholus beetle, some species of butterflies, melastoma shrubs and beautiful mountain forest of Sorong regency.

Female Black Sunbird

This birding excursion in Sorong Ridge Forest is highly recommended for visitors who were on their trips to Raja Ampat. They could take this tour before or after their scuba diving and snorkeling tours. I suggest that they take the tour in a group of at least three, four or more participants to share the cost.
Sorong city is an important gate to Raja Ampat. There are daily regular flights between Sorong and several major cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Ambon, Makassar and Manado. Batik, Garuda, Sriwijaya, Nam Air, Travira and Wings Air provide affordable flights to Sorong. As a tourist guide, I could organize birding and snorkeling tours for visitors who want to visit Sorong city, Raja Ampat and even Arfak range of Manokwari.
Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to my number: +6281332245180.

Excursion to Rainforest of Sorong

Excursion to rainforest

A few days ago I organized an excursion tour to Sunbird Forest of Sorong city for 8 American visitors. They were on a trip to Raja Ampat for snorkeling and scuba diving. We left Swiss-belhotel at 05.30 for the forest by 2 cars. Our goal was to watch Yellow-faced Myna, Rainbow Bee-eater, and Oriental Dollarbird. Most of the participants had binoculars. I brought 2 binoculars and 1 spotting scope.
While we were hiking along the ridge of the forest, we were able to watch the above birds and some other species such as Black Sunbird, Olive-crowned Sunbird, Brahminy Kite, Blyth's Hornbill, and Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. The spotting scope greatly enhanced our birding experience.The weather was quite hot so, we had a long stop inside the forest near a river. There, the participants of the tour soaked their body inside a natural pool with a small waterfall continuously providing fresh water for pool.
I and two local people boil water for them to make coffee or tea. We had them with some traditional cakes, biscuits, as well as rambutan and banana fruits. After that we continued our trip to the main river where we watched Pinon Imperial Pigeon and Singing Starling.
Suddenly heavy rain started to fall. We decided to walk back to the main road again and return to the city.
For booking
Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by cell phone:+62 8133 2245 180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com